Courage under fire

It took extraordinary courage for dozens of Afghan women to openly march Wednesday against marriage laws that one described as treating them "like sheep."

The new rules, repressive and archaic, require that Shiite wives essentially provide their husbands with sex on demand, with only a few exceptions, and prohibit the women from leaving home alone in most situations.

The women who marched against the laws endured chants of "whore" and "dogs" from men and women, some of whom threw rocks at the marchers.

Some fear the re-emergence of the restrictive laws of the Taliban, who once ruled in the area. Those laws require women to wear burqas that almost completely cover them and not leave home unless accompanied by a male.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he would review the laws, which were appropriately described as "abhorrent" by President Barack Obama.

But it's unlikely Karzai will be motivated to do more than talk unless a drumbeat of international protest against the rules continues. That should be simple -- compared to the bravery demonstrated by the Afghan women who no doubt risked their lives to stand up for their rights.